Mammals
European Polecat
Mustela putorius · Dihor de casă
A dark, masked mustelid of hills and lowlands, often living near farms.
At a glance
- Status in Romania
- Resident
- Habitat
- Wetland / Meadow / Forest
- Activity
- Evening · Night
- Diet
- Rodents, frogs, lizards, birds, insects and earthworms; also carrion.
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN)
- Photography difficulty
- Difficult
Photography Guide
Practical starting points based on the species’ behaviour and habitat, not fixed rules.
- Where and how to look
- River valleys and farm edges at night; tracks in mud and snow.
- Best time / activity
- Evening · Night
- Photography difficulty
- Difficult
- Ethics
- Never wait at dens or resting sites, never bait, and keep any encounter short — these animals are easily disturbed.
Identification
Dark brown overall with a whitish muzzle tip and a pale patch between eye and ear; pale-edged ears. Flanks paler; in winter short yellowish underfur gives a glossy look.
Habitat
Typical of hills and lowlands: deciduous woods, riverside habitats, sand dunes, wetlands, river valleys, farmland, forest edges and mosaic habitats. Scarce in the mountains and avoids high altitudes. Often near farms.
Approximate range in Romania
Diet
Rodents, frogs, lizards, birds, insects and earthworms; also carrion.
Behaviour
Easily confused with the Steppe Polecat in the lowlands.